Here’s an attempt at using MAC’s Photorealism eyeshadow quad :) The photos are a little wonky, because silly me forgot to change the white balance settings before taking these photos, SO I had to muck around with them (to get the right color) in Photoshop. I think they’re *fairly* accurate, but they just look so edited, so I do apologize! I do recommend substituting a different highlighter in this look, but my goal was to only use the quad’s eyeshadows. But definitely feel free to go with something more neutral and less shimmery for a better look :)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Silver Fog pigment (platinum silver), Image Maker eyeshadow (soft grey-green), Fresh Approach eyeshadow (pastel green), Grey Range eyeshadow (dark teal), Photorealism eyeshadow (soft gold), Make Up For Ever #20L Aqua Eyes (dark teal), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: The Perfect Cheek (pale pink), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronzy highlighter)
• Lips: Front Lit lipstick (sheer white-gold), New Spirit lipglass (peachy-orange), Lychee Luxe lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Photorealism = Nylon; Image Maker = Electra; Fresh Approach = Juxt; Grey Range = Deep Truth+Shimmermoss; The Perfect Cheek = Dame; Front Lit = Tanarama; New Spirit = Love Nectar

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. With the 239, apply Silver Fog pigment with water-based mixing medium on the lower lid. On the inner lid, pack Fresh Approach eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply Image Maker eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken crease with Grey Range eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Photorealism eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Make Up For Ever #20L Aqua Eyes on lower lash line9. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with The Perfect Cheek blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Front Lit lipstick to lips, and then top with New Spirit and Lychee Luxe lipglasses for color and shine.

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Easy-peasy smoky eye :) I consider this the “traditional” smoky eye, since I’ve always thought of a smoky eye as silver/gray. Video tutorial for this coming soon, too!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Silver Ring eyeshadow (dark silver), Typographic eyeshadow (matte dark gray), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Blanc Type eyeshadow (soft white-beige), Blacktrack fluidline (black), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Enough Said blush (bronze), Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer (bronzy highlighter)
• Lips: Honeyflower lipstick (pinky-nude), Nymphette lipglass (pinky-beige)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Femme-fi = Shroom; Brave New Bronze = Velvet Teddy

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, pack Electra eyeshadow on using the 239. Apply Silver Ring eyeshadow to the middle and outer portions of the lid. Darken crease and outer lid with Typographic eyeshadow using the 226, then deepen with Carbon eyeshadow with the 219. Sweep Blanc Type eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Blacktrack fluidline on lower lash line and upper lash line using the 208. Apply Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Enough Said blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Amber Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Honeyflower lipstick to lips, and then top with Nymphette lipglass for color and shine.

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Quick and dirty smoky eye :) So, I finally get my foundation to match my skin in *natural* light… but then either the foundation or my setting powder reflects light and it doesn’t match in photos! Apparently, my bathroom light is terrible, because so many foundations looked like they were a match, only to look in my car mirror and see a totally different story. Sigh!

HAPPY FRIDAY ALL! Hope it speeds by (well, the work part of it!) so you can play. How’s everyone doing? Any exciting weekend plans? (I’m off to spend the majority of today studying with some fellow MBA students… so exciting. I know you’re jealous!)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Smoke and Diamonds eyeshadow (dark silver-gray), Copperplate eyeshadow (matte gray-brown), Pincurl eyeshadow (duochrome gray-pink), Shroom eyeshadow (soft highlighter), Mystery kohl power (teal-black), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Guerlain Shell Illuminating Sun Powder (bronzer), Guerlain Nacre des Mers Pressed Meteorites (sheer shimmer)
• Lips: Tiger Tiger lipstick (orange-y nude), Style Minx lipglass (hot pink)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Smoke and Diamonds = Silver Ring; Pincurl = Vex; Mystery = Teal-o; Tiger Tiger = Peachstock; Style Minx = Pink Poodle

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base. On the inner half of the lid, apply Electra eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow to the outer half of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Copperplate eyeshadow using the 239. Darken crease with Copperplate eyeshadow using the 226. Accent inner tear duct with Pincurl eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Shroom eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Mystery kohl power on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Guerlain Sun Powder using the 129, then highlight with Guerlain Nacre des Mers Meteorites with the 188. Apply Tiger Tiger lipstick to lips, and then top with Style Minx lipglass for color and shine.

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I wore this look yesterday to have lunch with my mom and sister :) My mom seemed to really love this look on me — she said everything just complemented each other. She rarely comments on my makeup, so maybe there’s something to what she said, ha!

Happy Friday! I hope you all have some fun weekend plans coming up!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (matte, neutral base), Blanc Type eyeshadow (matte beige-white), Showstopper eyeshadow (matte, cool dark brown), Spiced Chocolate eyeshadow (matte reddish-brown), Bisque eyeshadow (matte highlighter), Urban Decay Underground 24/7 Liner (dark dark brown), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Refined mineralize skinfinish (peach-nude)
• Lips: Touch lipstick (creamy brown-taupe), Lychee Luxe lipglass (coral)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Showstopper = Ground Brown; Spiced Chocolate = Embark, Refined = Soft & Gentle

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base. Apply Blanc Type eyeshadow all over the lower lid using the 239. Apply Showstopper eyeshadow to the middle-to-outer crease with the 226. Overlay the crease with Spiced Chocolate eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Bisque eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Underground 24/7 Liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Refined mineralize skinfinish using the 129. Apply Touch lipstick to lips, and then top with Lychee Luxe lipglass for color and shine.

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Another Sugarsweet look! Getting tired of them yet? I wore this look yesterday, when my boyfriend and I met my parents and sister for dim sum. :) Hope your Monday is off to a good start!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Lemon Chiffon shadestick (pale white-yellow), Sugarshot eyeshadow (frosty white), Aquavert eyeshadow (pale green-teal), Club eyeshadow (dark green-brown-gray), Shroom eyeshadow (soft neutral highlighter), Eve Pearl Liquid Liner (black), Urban Decay Underground 24/7 Stash Liner (dark gold/brown), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Chanel In Love blush (dirty pink), Refined mineralize skinfinish (peach)
• Lips: Touch lipstick (light brown with red), Palatial lustreglass (sheer hot pink)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Lemon Chiffon = Baselight; Sugarshot = Phloof!; Aquavert = Juxt+Shimmermoss; Refined = Soft & Gentle; Touch = Brew

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Lemon Chiffon shadestick all over the lid as the base. On the inner lid, apply Sugarshot eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Aquavert eyeshadow to the middle and outer portion of the lid. Darken crease with Club eyeshadow using the 226, lightly blending towards the outer lid. Sweep Shroom eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Stash Liner on lower lash line, Eve Pearl Liquid Liner on upper lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Chanel In Love blush using the 129, then highlight with Refined mineralize skinfinish with the 188. Apply Touch lipstick to lips, and then top with Palatial lustreglass for color and shine.

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It’s been SO long since I’ve done the “traditional” smokey eye, so I had the urge to try it out again :) I’m spending my weekend cramming/studying for my Stats and Managerial Accounting finals on Monday (yay, back-to-back finals, so awesome!). I’m meeting up with some study buddies for Stats in an hour — I’m hoping it will really help bring things together for me.

What are you doing this weekend? Let me live vicariously through you so my weekend isn’t a total bummer!! :)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral base), Electra eyeshadow (bright silver), Silver Ring (dark silver), Carbon eyeshadow (matte black), Shroom eyeshadow (highlighter), Graphblack technakohl (black), Blacktrack fluidline (black), Zoomlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Well Dressed blush (soft cool pink), Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer (pink highlighter)
• Lips: Sandy B lipstick (pinky nude), C-Thru lipglass (nude)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 214 (smudge brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Electra eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Silver Ring eyeshadow to the middle of the lid, extending to the outer lid. Darken the outer lid Carbon Flip eyeshadow using the 239. Darken crease with Carbon eyeshadow using the 226. Sweep Shroom eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Smudge Silver Ring eyeshadow on the lower lash line using the 219 brush. Finish with Graphblack technakohl on lower lash line, Blacktrack fluidline on upper lash line, and Zoomlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Well Dressed blush using the 129, then highlight with Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer with the 188. Apply Sandy B lipstick to lips, and then top with C-Thru lipglass for color and shine.

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Easy look today. I was actually only putting on makeup because I wanted to snap a picture of my hair ;) I originally paired this eye with Strayin’ lipstick and Nice to Be Nice lipglass from HK, but I wasn’t feeling it so I swapped it out. My head is aching something fierce this morning, so I think I’m going to grab some food and cases to read and lay down for a bit. Perhaps snooze a lil’, since I didn’t get much sleep last night!

Hope you’re all getting through your week :)

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Creme Royale eyeshadow (pale yellow-gold), Lucky Tom eyeshadow (dark brown-black), Bisque eyeshadow (matte highlighter), Her Glitz glitter eye liner (antique gold), Urban Decay 24/7 Stash Liner (antique gold), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Fun & Games blush (peach)
• Lips: Cute-ster lipstick (sheer pink-gold shimmer), Mimmy lipglass (medium sheer pink with gold shimmer)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Creme Royale = Nylon; Lucky Tom = Brun; Her Glitz = no dupe; Fun & Games = Springsheen; Cute-ster = Politely Pink (?); Mimmy = Enchantress

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre all over the lid as the base with the 249. Apply Creme Royale eyeshadow all over the lid with the 239 brush. Darken crease with Lucky Tom eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Bisque eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Stash Liner on lower lash line, Her Glitz Glitter Liner on lower and upper lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Fun & Games blush using the 129. Apply Cute-ster lipstick to lips, and then top with Mimmy lipglass for color and shine.

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SO, this was going to be posted tomorrow, but since I mixed up the pictures, I might as well just post it now! :P

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral base), Pincurl eyeshadow (white-pink-silver), Knight eyeshadow (dark gray), Deep Shade eyeshadow (dark blue-purple), Femme-fi eyeshadow (highlighter), Feline kohl power (black), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Blonde mineralize skinfinish (rose highlighter)
• Lips: Marquise d’ (beige pink), Live & Dye lipglass (pastel pink)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 214 (flat, stubby brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush)
• Substitutes: Pincurl = Vex; Knight = Silver Ring; Deep Shade = Contrast; Femme-fi = Shroom; Feline = Graphblack; Blonde = Dior Rose Diamond; Marquise d’ = Hue; Live & Dye = Love Nectar

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Pincurl eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Knight eyeshadow to the middle/outer portion of the lid. Darken crease with Deep Shade eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Femme-fi underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Feline kohl power on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Blonde MSF using the 129. Apply Marquise d’ lipstick to lips, and then top with Live and Dye lipglass for color and shine.

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Quick Dame Edna look for y’all today! :) Wisteria is a really, really pretty blue — but I probably wouldn’t use it to justify buying the entire palette, since the other two shadows are easily duped and their textures aren’t even great (feel like lustres to me, yuck!). Fineshine, especially, gets all over the place.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Mutiny pigment (teal-blue), Fineshine eyeshadow (silver), Wisteria eyeshadow (light blue-aqua), Divine Night eyeshadow (dark gray-silver), Femme-fi eyeshadow (highlighter), Urban Decay Ye-yo 24/7 Liner (white), Presriptives Grotto Eye Liner (green-blue), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Spectacle! beauty powder (powdery pink), Dior Rose Diamond Skin Shimmer (shimmery pink)
• Lips: B-Babe lipstick (frosty pink), Red devil lipglass (coral with red tones)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Mutiny = Delft; Fineshine = Electra; Wisteria = Clear Sky Blue; Divine Night = Knight Divine; B-Babe = Bombshell; Red Devil = Lychee Luxe

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Mutiny pigment all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Fineshine eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Wisteria eyeshadow to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Divine Night eyeshadow and drag into crease using the 239. Sweep Femme-fi eyeshadow underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Urban Decay Ye-yo 24/7 Liner and Prescriptives Grotto liner on lower lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Spectacle! beauty powder using the 129, highlight with Dior Rose Diamond shimmer. Apply B-Babe lipstick to lips, and then top with Red Devil lipglass for color and shine.

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Here’s another look using Chill products! :) You can also see the Penultimate Liner, which *does* photograph black afterall! (Yay!) I’ve only used it once, so please don’t ask me what I think yet as it is too soon to tell! I’d like to give it several usages before I form an opinion :)

FWIW, I originally just put Icescape on the lips, but the lips looked way too corpse-ish, so I added Frozen Dream for more color (which is why two lipglasses are listed–not the norm).

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Soft Ochre paint pot (neutral beige base), Vellum eyeshadow (duochrome white), Arctic Grey eyeshadow (light silver), Apres-Ski eyeshadow (gray-brown), Mont Black eyeshadow (black), Penultimate Liner (black), Plushlash mascara (black)
• Cheeks: Don’t Be Shy blush (cool pink)
• Lips: Sandy B lipstick (nude), Icescape lipglass (cool light pink), Frozen Dream lipglass (pink-purple)
• Brushes: 266 (firm, angled brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 129 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Arctic Grey = Electra; Apres-Ski = Copperplate; Don’t Be Shy = Well Dressed; Icescape = Oyster Girl; Frozen Dream = Flusterose

Directions: Define brows using a coordinating powder shadow applied with the 266 brush. Apply Soft Ochre paint pot all over the lid as the base with the 249. On the inner lid, apply Vellum eyeshadow using the 239. Apply Electra eyeshadow to the middle of the lid. Darken the outer lid using Apres-Ski using the 239. Darken crease with Mont Black eyeshadow using the 239. Sweep Vellum underneath the brow bone to highlight. Finish with Penultimate Liner on upper lash line, and Plushlash mascara on lashes. Sweep apples of cheeks with Don’t Be Shy blush using the 129. Apply Sandy B lipstick to lips, and then top with Icescape lipglass and Frozen Dream lipglass for color and shine.

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